The Calm before the Storm
by Storm Warning
Summary: Cronus has been defeated and survived. After season two the hero's have their doubts about their abilities and their destiny. Is Cronus the biggest problem the hero's have? What has happened to them so far is easy compared to whats coming next.
1. Calm

**Disclaimer- There's a lot of things I'd like to own, but don't. This is one of them. Doesn't mean I wouldn't like to. Based after season 2**

_"We were born for this"_

_-Paramore (Born For This)_

__________________________________

"I don't know Zeus..."

"Hera we must!"

"But Zeus they're just children!"

"Dear they were never children. They must be prepared for when Cronos returns!"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was about mid-day when the seven hero's arrived at the school. Of course they would rather be relaxing but who ever said saving the world would be relaxing? They were there at the request of the gods.

"Where is everyone?" asked Atlanta.

"Donno, you don't really question Ares when he says it's time for training. You know how he is in the morning." At that all the teens shuddered at flashed back to the verbal abuse and physical torment at early hours.

"Well he's probably late. That's no reason to slack off in our training. Come on guys" The team groaned. Once again Jay took control and before long they were all exercising. Jay and Theresa, Archie and Atlanta and Herry against both Neil and Odie.

"Are you trying to make a move on me?" Asked Atlanta from underneath Archie after he tackled her.

"N-No of course not!" Archie stuttered nervously. There was a loud clang as Neil was knocked to the floor by Herry who just wiped his hands on his shorts smugly.

"Jaaayyyy, the gods obviously aren't coming! Can we stop now?" Neil whined.

"That's not like them. They must be in trouble! Get your weapons!" Jay ordered and grabbed his sword.

"Or they could just be on a coffee break." suggested Atlanta

"At the same time?" said Archie.

"Good point."

"Something sketchy is going on," mumbled Odie as he followed the others.

* * *

_Cronus what has he planned this time? First we'll see if we can open the portal without Hermes, then we'll.... _

_If I configure the elector-wires in the defibrillator perhaps I can disrupt the airwaves to pick up high charged pulses! _

_I should practice more. How are we supposed to defeat Cronus? We're only kids! Mortal kids._

_Ooo Neil looking fine. _

_Why am I always paired with Herry? Is it because I'm the youngest? _

_Jeez Jay is such workaholic! Imagine what he's going to be like when he older! _

_I'm hungry._

The thoughts swirled through their mortal skulls. So weak and doubtful. Easily manipulated. Mortals could be feed on their doubts. The chosen ones? They may be more special than regular humans but that wasn't saying much. They could be coddled into thinking they were powerful united but it all came down to the fact that each one of them was mortal. Maybe with a special talent, but talent doesn't defeat gods no matter what a prophecy might say. Prophecies were known to be double-sided.

**That was my first chapter. By the way your supposed to have to guess whose thoughts were whose. It would be too easy other ways right? ;)  
**


	2. Stirring

**Okay here's the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews I got on the last chapter. **

**Disclaimer- I don't own COTT, sad isn't it.**

_  
"I can't control myself  
So what if you can see the dark inside of me  
No one will ever change this animal I have become"  
-Three Day Grace(Animal I Have Become)  
_

"Wow, this is weird" said Atlanta, sitting up. She was currently sprawled on a rocky gray path sprawled with pine trees.

"This is really weird" she said getting up and dusting herself off. Last thing she remembered was exciting the school with the others.

"Okay, I have to find out were I am. Gotta find the others," she muttered to herself. She examined the ground. The path looked like it was rarely used. The footprints headed into down deeper into the trees.

"It's a start." She headed towards the trees. The trees started to thin out and the path got level. Atlanta squinted down the path.

At the end a large unshaven man stood, blocking the path. He had a club lazily slung over his shoulder.

"WHO DARES COMES DOWN PERIPHETES'S PATH! TURN BACK OR FACE ME!" he roared and swung his club round his head. Atlanta measured her options.

She was good with smaller or multiple opponents, but she was never that good with the ' me big, me hit ' kind of how much harder could he be than Cronus's giants?

" LET ME PASS IF YOU WISH TO LIVE!" she roared right back. Periphetes looked a bit startled at her appearance but he quickly got over it.

"YOU? A MERE CHILD, YOU CAN NOT BEAT ME WENCH! I AM PERIPHETES STRONGEST OF MEN! I WILL WEAR YOUR SKIN AS A CLOAK!" He rushed at her swinging his club.

She dodged aside easily as he went careening past her. She laughed as he stumbled past her for a second time.

"COWARD! STOP RUNNING LITTLE GIRL AND FIGHT ME!" he screamed at her.

"Jeez, you can stop yelling now." she told him as he swung his club at her again. His blows were getting closer and closer to her. He did not seem to be too tired.

She had to end this, now. She ran at him without waiting for him to charge. He swung his club down toward her head. She ducked through his legs and grabbed the club from behind.

Her arms drooped with the weight of it. But all her training with Ares paid of, she swung the club like a baseball bat at Periphetes head.

It connected with a dull thud. She grimaced as a crack resounded from his head. His eyes rolled back in his skull. His blood spread across the path, running in river lets of red.

Atlanta stood there panting, staring riveted by the flow of red.

She shook herself out of her trance and ran to the bush where she retched violently.

"I just killed a human..." she whispered. She looked down at the dead mans club.

It was made of strong oak wrapped in bronze to magnify the impact of the wielders blows. A beautiful weapon really. Plus it would help build her upper body strength.

She grabbed the club and placed over her shoulder and continued down the rocky path. She stepped through the puddles of Periphetes' blood, staining her sneakers.

From the trees a dark figure watched Atlanta walk away.

"So you faced the first challenge little hero. Let's hope your friends learn as much." The figures eyes flashed as it blended back into the trees.

**So that was the second chapter. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. *hint hint* I'll try and update as soon as possible.**


	3. Rising

**Okay I'm trying to update every story I have. Don't worry gentle readers, I DO have a plot! I just have to get to it. And this chapter will be longer. I've decided to stick more than one persons view into each chapter. I don't want this turning into one of those 45 chapter stories. And better yet I have spell check!**

**Disclaimer: I own nada**

"_There's no chance unless you take one  
And it's time to see the brighter side of every situation  
Somethings are meant to be  
So give it your best and leave the rest to me" _

_-Miranda Cosgrove (Leave It All To Me) _

"Team?" Jay blinked wearily, calling for his team. The lights were flashing behind his eyes. He struggled to his feet. Jay always level-headed observed his surroundings. Wilderness. No people to be seen. Cliffs, the sea. He grinned without realizing it. He could feel the sea spray and the cool chill of an ocean breeze.

Europe, Canada or Russia probably.

"How'd I get here?" He spoke aloud and found he was comforted by the sound of his own voice. He had been conscious for a few minutes and he was already lonely.

It was different. No bickering Archie and Atlanta behind him. No Neil cooing to himself in a mirror, No Herry, No Odie. No Theresa.

As the leader he felt that he should value everyone on the team as much. He loved them all as people but his self-consciousness secretly evaluated each of them. Theresa was the only one he thought would stay on the team if Cronus decided to get more sinister.

"Well I sound crazy..." He told himself as he noticed a small path that looked well-used. He bent to look at the tracks on the dirt road.

Animal tracks next to humans and wheels from a cart probably. Fresh. He saw dust rising ahead of him. He ran to catch up.

* * *

"Young man? Are you alright?" Archie blinked wearily at the aged face above him.

"What?" he asked groggily.

"Name's Daedalus. Genius. Imprisoned. But more importantly who are you me boy?" Archie blinked. He had trouble keeping in the conversation.

"Lay off the coffee." He told the man sitting up. "Seriously human speed for us humans." Archie hoisted himself off the floor. He was in a large stone room.

"MY- NAME-IS-DAEDALUS" The man said slowly.

"Okay you don't need to act like I'm a retar- DID YOU SAY DAEDALUS!" He yelled and got into a combat position. He reached for his whip to feel emptiness. The man that tried to kill him and his friends. A young man jumped in front of Daedalus.

"Are you crazy? My father hasn't done anything to you! You almost attacked the one man who can get us out of the rat hole they call Crete."

"So where is here exactly?"

***

"So..." Jay started as he sat comfortably beside an old man in a hay cart. It bumped up and down making Jay wonder if this was better than walking.

The old man turned to look at him then turned away. Jay tried a different tactic. "Where are you headed?"

"Crete."

"We're in Greece?" Jay asked surprised. Now he knew it was Cronus. But it didn't explain where the others were.

The man gave him a strange look. "Did you hit your head sonny?"

"No, no I'm fine I'm not from around here. I'm sorry I forgot to ask your name."

"You remind me of someone. It's puzzling. But my name is Androgeus." They shook hands before averting their gaze back to the dusty road. "Food shortage in Crete, it's bad for everyone else but for a farmer it's perfect. They're paying high prices for any type of food."

"So do you not own a car? You could carry a lot more and it would be faster."

"Sonny , you seem like a smart lad but if continue with your strange questions you might have to get of my cart. This is the fastest anyone can get to Crete without a horse."

Jay mentally smacked himself. This man obviously couldn't afford a car.

"Say," Androgeus started. "You seem like a strong young man. I'll drop you off near the palace. The king needs someone to help him."

"Oh? What's the problem." Jay asked. He was beginning to think he had gone back in time. Cronus was the God of time after all. It would explain the confusion about a car and Greece did not have a king that Jay was aware of.

"You haven't heard boy? The king needs help with the Minotaur."

* * *

**Hope you like. It's a bit longer and more detailed than Atlanta's but I still have plans for her. If anyone could suggest a few Greek myths for me that would be great. **


End file.
